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Hamilton Council backs two local cannabis license support resolutions after applicant presentation
Summary
Council members voted to support applications from Cultural Hamilton LLC and Natural Apothecary LLC for Cannabis Regulatory Commission licenses; Cultural Hamilton’s applicant described a phased plan for retail, cultivation and manufacturing on a 4‑acre Broad Street site and financing from Manasquan Savings Bank.
Council members on Dec. 3 voted to support two local applications to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, after hearing a public presentation from one applicant and brief staff explanations on the other.
Adithya Papina, identified himself as an applicant and investor affiliated with the Culture Plainfield project, told the council his family has owned property in Hamilton since 2016 and described plans for the site at 3695 Broad Street. "There's already existing building on-site. It's about roughly 6,000 square feet on each level," Papina said, and added the parcel includes about 4 acres that he said could accommodate additional parking and future cultivation or manufacturing facilities. He said the first-floor space would be used as a retail dispensary in an initial phase and that the development team has arranged building-fitout financing with Manasquan Savings Bank; operational funding would come from the operator partner. Papina also said his partner operator has experience in Michigan.
Council members asked about nearby homes, daycare proximity and zoning compliance; planning staff indicated the property sits in a commercial corridor and that staff had reviewed ordinance setbacks and other restrictions. After public comment closed, the council recorded a roll-call vote on the resolution supporting Cultural Hamilton LLC’s application; one member abstained. The abstention was announced by Council Member Mister Tai, who cited his work with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
The council also adopted a separate resolution supporting Natural Apothecary LLC’s application for a Class 2 manufacturer license; the item was presented to the council as primarily a corporate/name change. That resolution advanced with a roll-call vote in which Mister Tai again recorded an abstention.
The council’s votes were supportive resolutions to the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission rather than permits issued by the township. No council member indicated the resolutions imposed local conditions; staff noted zoning and other local requirements would still control how operations proceed if the state approves a license.
The council president closed public comment and moved each resolution to a roll-call vote; the transcript shows the abstentions and the motion records in the meeting minutes. The items will be part of the public record if the state regulator requests local support documentation as part of its review.
